Art. 132. Interruption of religious worship. — The penalty of prision correccional in its minimum period shall be imposed upon any public officer or employee who shall prevent or disturb the ceremonies or manifestations of any religion.

If the crime shall have been committed with violence or threats, the penalty shall be prision correccional in its medium and maximum periods.


Elements:

1. Offender is a public officer or employee;

2. Religious ceremonies or manifestations of any religion are about to take place or are going on;

3. Offender prevents or disturbs the same.


Notes:

â–  Circumstances qualifying the offense: if the crime is committed with violence or threats.

â–  Example: A barrio lieutenant threatened the life of a priest should the latter persist in his intention to say mass and as a result thereof, the mass was not celebrated.


Prohibition, interruption and dissolution of peaceful meetings (Art. 131) vs. Interruption of religious worship (Art. 132)

 â–  Facts: The Iglesia ni Cristo secured a permit from the mayor and held a meeting at a public plaza. The meeting started with some singing, after which its minister read from the Bible and then delivered a sermon, in the course of which he attacked the Catholic and Aglipayan churches. The Chief of Police ordered his policemen to stop the minister. When the minister refused, the Chief of Police fired two shots in the air which dispersed the crowd and stopped the meeting.

Held: Reading of Bible and then attacking certain churches in a public plaza is not a ceremony or manifestation of a religion, but only a meeting of a religious sect. The act of the Chief of Police is not a violation of Art. 132 but of Art. 131. (People vs. Reyes, et.al., C.A.-G.R. No. 13633-R, July 27, 1955)

 â–   But reading of some verses out of the Bible in a private house by a group of 10 to 20 persons, adherents of the Methodist Church, is a religious service. Persons who meet for the purpose of religious worship, by any method which is not indecent and unlawful, have a right to do so without being molested or disturbed.